Mill Mountain Coffee's New(ish) Locale

Mill Mountain Coffee's new downtown digs, though my review is a little late in coming, are pretty nice if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet. They moved a whopping thirty feet to just across the street, but with some marked improvements.

1. The bar with the open windows right as you walk in is nice; granted, the old place had some window-front real estate, but the new one feels more inviting and is roomier, so I find myself sitting at the windows more now.

2. More seating. The older locale wasn't so crowded that you felt claustrophobic or anything, but it could easily end up where you had to take your coffee to go or hover around waiting for a seat. Now, there's plenty of seating in front, in a little sub-section across of the "fixins" and higher up in the back.

3. Speaking of seating, now there's the outdoor area to sit in, which feels kind of semi-private given that traffic through that pay lot wouldn't be too much. Plus, while I have yet to bring my mutt to the shop, I feel like I could have my dog out there on nice days while I drink coffee and read the paper.

Many things are the same: same community bulletin board full of local events, classes, and the like. Art and photography by local artists, often for sale. Even some good reading material, with local pubs such as Bella, Lifestream, Inc, and (usually) a copy or two of The Roanoke Times floating around.

During the first two freezing Fridays of Dickens of a Christmas, Mill Mountain was one of my few places to warm up and glean fuel for the hours of commerce. While their coffee is not quite as bold as many Starbucks blends, I try to make it my choice when I'm in the neighborhood and the inevitable siren song of coffee, cookies, and good conversation rings in my ears.